Key Policy Letters Signed by the Education Secretary or Deputy SecretaryJuly 27, 2006

July 27, 2006

Dear Chief State School Officer:

I am writing to announce a new U.S. Department of Education initiative --
the LEP Partnership. In order to design instruction better and improve academic
performance for the Nation's more than 5 million limited English proficient
(LEP) students, educators need to understand what these students know and don't
know, and need to build knowledge and develop strategies and tests to maximize
the participation of LEP students in the academic life of our schools.

Our ability to measure performance accurately is a key factor in improving
instruction and closing the achievement gap for those students. The LEP Partnership
is intended to support your efforts to develop and implement improved test accommodations
and content assessments in reading and mathematics designed for limited English
proficient students.

Through the LEP Partnership, the Department will provide technical assistance
and support to help improve assessments and accommodations for LEP students.
One area of technical assistance will focus on the approximately 20 States that
submitted evidence related to reading and mathematics assessments designed for
LEP students as part of the Department's 2005-06 peer reviews of State
assessment systems under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). In most cases, States
that submitted evidence on these assessments need to address issues identified
by the peer reviewers in order for the assessments to be considered for full
approval under NCLB. We want to help these States continue their work to develop
valid, reliable, and appropriate accommodations and assessments for LEP students
that will qualify for full approval under NCLB. Through the Partnership, these
States would agree to a plan, negotiated with the Department, for the development,
improvement, and implementation of LEP content assessments and accommodations
in time for the 2006-07 administration of State reading and mathematics assessments.

The Department will also sponsor opportunities for all States to participate
in forums on best practices in assessment and instruction for LEP students,
as well as provide participating States with access to technical assistance.
The Department intends to disseminate across all States information on the practices,
policy recommendations, assessment instruments, and tested accommodation practices
that grow out of the work of the LEP Partnership.

To begin the Partnership, the Department will be inviting teams from the States
that submitted evidence on LEP assessments -- including assessment directors,
accountability directors, and Title III/LEP/instruction policymakers --
to attend a meeting in Washington, D.C., on August 28 and 29. At that meeting,
the State teams will meet with Department officials and experts to develop State-specific
plans and a timeline for improving LEP assessments in reading and mathematics
for the 2006-07 school year and beyond.

As part of the Partnership, the Department will also host a two-day meeting
on October 28 and 29, in Washington, D.C., for all States. States will be invited
to bring key staff involved in the State assessment and accountability effort
for LEP students. The Department will provide State teams with opportunities
to hear from and interact with some of the nation's top researchers about
the very latest in research and practice on assessment and instruction for LEP
students. Additional details about the agenda and location for both meetings
will be forthcoming.

The Department plans to support other technical assistance efforts focused
on the improvement of assessments for all students. Those plans are still in
development, based on peer review findings and State requests for assistance.
Our intent is to provide targeted and intensive assistance in the following
areas: assessments for students with disabilities, including those with the
most significant cognitive disabilities; alignment of assessments with standards;
technical quality; and achievement standards. If you have other specific areas
on which you believe the Department should focus assistance, I would appreciate
hearing from you.

The Department strongly supports ensuring that LEP students are included and
visible in our school accountability systems. We believe this will improve instruction
and achievement outcomes. At the same time, we recognize that developing high-quality
and appropriate assessments and accommodations for LEP students is a complex
and challenging issue for States. We hope that you will be willing to work with the Department on this issue so
that all students -- including limited English proficient students --
can reach proficiency by 2013-14.